Against Protocol
by Mooguri Klaine
Summary: Five years have passed since Shinobi Agent Yami’s fateful disappearance, and all believes him to be dead, save for the most unlikely person – Yami’s rival and co-agent, Seto. Are his statements and alleged sightings enough to attest his belief? READ, REVI
1. Prologue: Jammed Frequency

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Against Protocol by Mooguri Klaine

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Author's Notes: Yahoo! I'm crazy again! I haven't even finished my other fic, **Young Blood**, and yet here I am, beginning another one! ((sweatdrops)) Yes, yes, I am crazy!! XD

And I decided to go AU once again; this time, I turn my eyes on the world of espionage! ((cue Mission: Impossible theme))

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Disclaimer: Sadly, none of us around here in can own Yu-Gi-Oh legally. That's why we are all gathered in this site trying to make something out of our wistful desires. YGO is not mine! Kazuki Takahashi is the only man with the balls to say that.

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Warning: Shonen-ai material and yaoi run around wildly in this fic of mine. Back off if it's not good for your health.

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Summary: Deception is the name of the game. And with a game like this, death is the only guarantee. And there are rules that demand absolute adherence. What happens when you go against protocol? READ, REVIEW, AND RECEIVE A PRIZE! XD

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Prologue: Jammed Frequency

"Coast is clear, boys."

Mokuba's voice cracked and slightly hissed in Seto ear. "Damn this nasty interference," he muttered. "Is there any way to fix the frequency?"

"Nope. This is the best I can go," replied Mokuba from the Operations Booth. "Apparently, there are a lot of jammed airwaves in your area. So there's nothing much I can do."

"Enough intermission," a voice interrupted. Seto allowed his eyes to wander off to Yami, who has just finished loading his prized gun, aptly called "The Silencer", and was now standing some several feet away from Seto, clad in sleek black leather. Yami's gloved hand crept up to his right ear. "State your position, Karimu."

"Just great, actually," came a hollow reply through their earpiece. "I'm currently in C Block. Coast is clear. Mokuba, do a quick scan on the rest of the surrounding environs."

"Gotcha. Hold on…" Mokuba now turned to one of the numerous keyboards perched on the control pad. A few seconds later, they received their confirmation. "Done with the scan. Not a single soul on the next area. You can even do a cartwheel without anyone getting upset over it"

"Good. I'll proceed to D Block," Yami spoke as he stalked away, his gun poised and at the ready. Seto watched furtively as the agent's lithe form vanished instantly at the corner without the slightest sound. He felt a brief tweak of irritation; that field agent was the dubbed as the best in the business, though he highly doubted this. _He_ was far better than that shrimp. The reason people found him so…overwhelming was that he had a mysterious aura around him, probably brought about by his strong facial features: pointed face, an unusual pair of crimson-red eyes coupled with an equally insane hairstyle. Plus, Yami also happened to be the grandson of the Director. _'Hmmf. Big deal.'_

"Head over to E Block, Seth," Yami called Seto's alias, taken from the Ancient Egyptian god of destruction. Professional as always. And he added, "Proceed with caution."

Seto rolled his eyes irritably. _'What does he think I am, some incompetent novice?' _he thought furiously. Seto wasn't any pushover; he was already trained ever since he started to walk, and was purged to a battery of tests that proved his mettle. Day in and day out, for more than a decade, he was constantly being drilled with every word in the rulebook until he grew sick of it. _'And he tells me to 'Proceed with caution'. Please.' _And yet he chose not to voice it out; Yami is the Director's grandson. At least not yet. Perhaps after the mission is over. And yet…

"Apparently, I am fully aware of my bearings, as we were appropriately briefed before the mission. You don't need to repeat yourself." Yet Seto couldn't resist the opportunity of putting down his fellow colleague in any possible way. Needless to say, their "cold war" was quite popular in the agency.

"Right," came Agent Yami's nonchalant reply, yet no one would ever miss the annoyed hint in his tone. "Now's not the time for incessant babble, Seth."

"So I've noticed," Seto laughed mirthlessly, voice edged with sarcasm.

"Here we go again," Karimu's tired and exasperated sigh echoed in their ears.

"Shut up!" Yami and Seto spat in unison.

"Okay, cut the crap out." This time, a new voice joined in the fray. "Field agents are prohibited to talk during any mission unless it is absolutely necessary. So Seth, Yami, and Karimu… _shut up_."

Brief silence.

"That was courtesy of Dark Magician," Mokuba was back again as he nervously laughed. More static flooded their communication devices. "Frequency's really bad, so I suggest you pipe down and keep all lines open."

"So don't turn off your communicators. The static will eventually build up, and you might be tempted to tear it away from your ears. Well, DON'T. No matter what happens, 'kay?"

"Roger that," three voices said.

Several minutes passed, and nothing uneventful happened, except perhaps when Karimu accidentally stubbed his toe on a protruding pipe, resulting him to cursing most colorfully for the whole agency to hear.

Seto stalked through rows of broken and rusty motors. He poked through some of the engines and found nothing that is of significance to their mission. He then alerted Mokuba in the Ops Booth that he'll proceed to F Block. No luck still. This confused him.

"You know what, I'm starting to feel really stupid about this," Karimu piped in. "All I see are a big pile of old scrap metal and junk. Are you sure we got the right Intel 1?"

"Of course the Intel is right," answered Mokuba, his voice slightly obscured by the cumbersome static. "We're supposed to investigate a hidden R&D Lab somewhere here 2. We got wind of some suspicious activity a few weeks back– sounds like they're manufacturing some really high-tech machinery. Our sources can't be wrong."

"Well then, I don't see any friggin' R&D Lab! This is just one stinking junkshop! I propose that we –"

"I think they've already abandoned this place," Yami suddenly spoke as he brought out a wafer-thin optical camera. "And they left in a hurry. Notice the mess they left behind. I'll feed you the pictures I took…"

Back in the Operations Booth, Mokuba received the images. "Yeah, you're right," he said, squinting through the high-resolution shots from the camera. "There's nothing left for us to peruse."

"Not a bug to shoot, and no toys to confiscate," Karimu began. "Obviously, there's no reason for us to be here. I –"

Whatever Karimu wanted to say, the others didn't have the chance to know. For suddenly, a resounding boom startled everyone, on-field and off-field alike.

"What the hell –"

"Explosion in C Block!" Seto called out. "Mokuba, what's happening?"

Then the earpiece gave off a tinny shriek, causing Seto to hiss painfully at the sound. Loud static poured heavily in his ears afterwards. "Ops Booth, do you copy? Mokuba, what's happening?"

"Shit!" In the Operations Booth, Mokuba and the others were having troubles on their own. Rarely did Mokuba curse, and when he did, it was highly appropriate for the occasion. He swiveled in his chair and went to another side of the booth, typing feverishly on the keyboard.

"What's happening?" Mahado, codenamed as Dark Magician asked, the panic in his voice almost making him squeak like a trodden mouse.

"That's what I'd like to know!" Mokuba furiously answered. "All the field equipment was practically disabled and cut off from the Ops Booth!"

"Even the communications?"

"_Especially_ the communications!" the young boy was dangerously frantic. Murphy's Law: What can go wrong, will. God, he never liked that law. He fiddled with the controls some more. "I'm trying to reboot the system, and rewire the lines. At the very least I should try to get to talk to the field agents!"

Back on the field, Yami winced painfully at the unexpected blast of sound from his earpiece. It was deafening; he hastily reached for it and tore it off his ear.

"Dammit, what's going on?"

"Field agents, do you copy?" Mokuba didn't have the luxury to celebrate when he wired the communications back online. "Get out of there, I repeat, Get out of there! The Intel was a set-up! They wanted to lure us here and plant an intended ambush on the agents! Can you hear me?"

"Oh my God!" Mahado roared beside him. Mokuba turned around. Then his blue-gray eyes widened, along with the escalating panic that threaten to rift his chest open.

"Oh shit!"

Seto's ears strained to hear through the raining static. Somehow, Mokuba managed to get back, but the reception was too poor. And with the noise around him, he could barely hear a whisper at the other end of the line. Then, in the briefest of moments, the connection became crystal clear.

"Bombs all over the place! Enough to reduce the whole warehouse to dust! Get out of there! Get out of there at once!"

Yami ran to where the blast was, while simultaneously looking for the other two agents. The earpiece lay flapping behind his shoulder as he blundered through the rubble.

"Seth! Karimu!"

Seto felt like he was running around in hopeless circles. And there was not a single hair of either of his teammates to be seen. "Where the hell are they?" He backtracked a few paces and began to trudge a new path. Karimu was in the same place before the explosion occurred.

"I got the tracking devices reconnected," Mokuba spoke, his voice slightly subdued now, but still quite panicky. "Seth, Karimu's just a few feet away from you…"

"Roger that," Seto was shifting some of the debris that was obstructing his path. His adrenaline was pumping freely in his veins. Moments later, he saw Karimu's unconscious form lying on the ground.

"I got Karimu. He's unconscious, but he's still breathing," Seto stood up gingerly, grabbing Karimu's arm and placing it carefully around his shoulder. He ran towards the entrance in an uncannily short span of time. "Where's Yami?" he called out again.

"I don't have Yami's signal on the radar," Mokuba answered; now he was sick with worry.

_"What?!"_

"I don't know where he is! The moment I rebooted the system, I couldn't retrieve Yami's signal!"

"Shit!"

Mahado snatched the communicator from Mokuba. "Enough of this! You're wasting time, Seth! Take Karimu and go straight to the extraction point! Leave Yami behind!"

"Shut up, Mahado!" Seto was starting to get really furious and anxious all at the same time. "He might still be alive –"

"NO! Get out of there! This is an order, Seth!"

"I don't obey orders, especially from _you_!" Seto roared indignantly. "I'm going back in!"

"You're breaking protocol, Seto! In extreme circumstances, agents –"

"SCREW THAT FUCKING PROTOCOL!" was the last thing Operations Booth heard from Seth before the latter terminated the link. Mahado, in a fit of rage, smashed down his clenched fist on the table.

Seto was running out of time. He ran desperately fast, unmindful of the escalating pain building up around his leg, which was injured on their last mission. It wasn't completely healed yet. He cursed his terrible luck.

And then, an ominous crack from a firearm echoed throughout the clearing. Seto stopped in his tracks, the always-unemotional blue eyes uncharacteristically fearful.

"YAMI!"

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----To Be Continued----

Footnotes:

1 Intel is slang for "Intelligence Report"

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2 R&D Lab stands for "Research and Development Laboratory"

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Author's Notes: Prologue finished! How was it? ((looks hopefully at readers)) Your feedbacks are badly needed! It is in your reviews reside the future of this story. Should I continue it or what? TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK?! XD

Okay, I'm no good in writing military and technical stuff – especially their jargons like 'Lock and Load', and some other catchphrases, so do forgive me for that! T.T Well, if there's someone out there well versed in guns, vehicles, and military know-how… TELL ME! I need help! Writing this YGO AU fic about guns and angst is totally different from my usual 'sword and sorcery' themes. Help, help!

**Leave your email address at the Reviews Section**, so I could dish out the prize I promised! Consider that my 'thanks' for reading this fic of mine! I love you guys! XD

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! X3**

Thanks a lot and Rock On!


	2. Chapter 1: Misleading

**Against Protocol by Mooguri Klaine**

**Author's Notes: **If you guys noticed that I shift tenses at specific paragraphs or situations, that's good! NO, it doesn't imply that I suck in grammar, but it was there for a purpose! So find out what it means! XP

And thanks for the reviews! ((beams happily)) Keep 'em coming!

To **Nachzes**** Black-Rider**: First reviewer! Thanks a lot! Yes, Seto/Yami all the way! They're the cutest couple ever! XD

To **shadowsofchaos61**: Ooohh, Yami and Seto look good acting like totally bad asses! I totally agree with you on that! XD Thanks again!

To **Kekewey**: Constructive criticisms! Keep 'em coming! Writers want nothing more than to improve their writing style, so thanks for that! Fine poetry you got, by the way! :D

**Disclaimer: **I wouldn't dream of assuming that I own Yu-Gi-Oh. What I own around here are the story, and some wild ideas that keep popping in my little head. XD

**Warning: **Shonen-ai material and yaoi run around wildly in this fic of mine. Back off if it's not good for your health.

**Rating: **R, for language and violence, especially on Seto's part. Expect something else too… like sex! ((faints)) Though I won't be serving that. At least not **_yet_**. ((evil laugh))

**Summary: **Deception is the name of the game. And with a game like this, death is the only guarantee. And there are rules that demand absolute adherence. What happens when you go against protocol? READ, REVIEW, AND RECEIVE A PRIZE! XD

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**Chapter One: Misleading**

(A/N: Readers! Don't forget to write your email addresses in the Reviews Section so I could give you what I promised! Thanks!)

Seto sits down on one of the available chairs outside a café. The afternoon sunlight pours on the cobbled pavement, yet the brunet pays no mind; umbrellas are conveniently positioned to block the harsh light. He takes a sip from his cup of cappuccino.

Even with his eyes closed, he can easily sense passersby staring at him with varying levels of interest. True enough, several girls point and giggle in his direction, eyeing him like some rare find. He flutters his eyes open, and sees a girl approaching him.

He promptly takes off the sunglasses from his eyes, and sends an icy glare at the young lady, who instantly backs away and scurries back to her group. This makes Seto smirk. As if he loves basking in the sun while people get to gawk at him. The only reason he is sipping coffee in Downtown is that he can't take any more of Mahado's crap - somehow, he seems to be on the hot seat _every _time a mission commences and ends. The russet-browned male happens to be one of his superiors, unfortunately. The former's continual litany of lectures with lines like, "that was highly unnecessary" or "going against protocol" are enough to send anyone up the wall. So Seto wants to get as much space away from anyone at the moment, especially that Mahado jerk.

His cell phone then rings without warning. Though Seto is not the least bit surprised. Headquarters is bound to look for him; after all, he went out without informing his whereabouts, save for Mokuba. In-house agents aren't supposed to go out without proper endorsement from a superior, and in this case, Mahado yet again. And chances of Mahado allowing him to go anywhere would be wishful thinking. But what the heck.

Seto flicks it open. "Yeah?"

"This is Dark Magician, Seth."

"No surprises there. It's not like I have tons of names in my phone directory," Seto quips. The phone operates on a secure coded line; so naturally, the call means only one thing.

"Whatever. Where are you?"

"Far enough to rid myself of your face."

"Quit joking around, Seth," Mahado snaps.

"I _wasn't_ joking. What do you want? Don't tell me you miss me already."

Seto smirks as Mahado curses him from the other line.

"Big brother?"

"Mokuba, I thought I made it clear that you're the only one authorized to call me…"

"I was just gone for a minute to pee; I didn't think Dark Magician would take the initiative…"

"Fine. What is it?"

Mokuba's tone turns serious. "We got a new lead."

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Forty-eight hours, and more than five thousand miles later, Seto comes home from the mission, extremely tired and pissed off. The lead came all the way from Singapore City, and he was instantly dispatched to investigate on it. The situation turned from bad to worse. The informant practically dragged Seto in what seem to be like a tour of the city, in which Seto fell unceremoniously in the Singapore River. The rest was just plain torture. Yet in the end, the man wasn't able to present anything essential. This angered the brunet agent even more.

Seto is still suffering from jetlag, only aggravating his pissed-off state. People know better than to barge and annoy him at the moment. Even Mahado is wise enough to keep out of his way. He dumps his jacket on a nearby chair, and plops down on the couch. He stares at his clenched fists, feeling the anger building up in his hands. Then without any pretense, he allows his right fist to smash through the glass top of the table in front of him. The sickening crash throws the shattered glass like glittering diamonds in the air. Blood drips on the carpet.

"Why?"

Outside Seto's door, Mokuba looks up at an agent, and shakes his head, bangs of jet-black locks shaking slowly.

"Miss Isis, I don't think this is the right time to talk to him," Mokuba says.

The woman briefly sighs, and puts a hand on Mokuba's shoulder. "Then please tell Seth that we will talk to him after he is well-rested. The Director wants a word with him." And managing a small smile, she turns away, her raven hair catching the slight wind.

"The Director…"

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_"Look at that hair!"_

_"Isn't he cute?"_

_"He looks weird…"_

_Every head turned to a prominent figure walking down the length of the office. The said figure was covered from head to toe in black leather, the same uniform bedecked on field agents. Yet no one has ever seen the young man before._

_"He's a field agent?"_

_Seto__ looked up from his desk irritably. He was doing his mission report on their last investigation at a suspicious factory in Geneva, Italy, which in his opinion, a complete waste of time. Little by little, his concentration was slowly slipping away from him. He knew that the office housed quite a lot of chatterboxes, among the likes of Karimu and the bubbly girl Mana, but he never expected the place to be this rowdy. The noise was starting to annoy the number one field agent._

_He stood up and searched for the source of the alleged racket. And it wasn't hard to miss. The boy was just located a few tables away from where Seto's desk was. Despite the suitable lack of height, the new visitor still stood out of the crowd. Several unruly spikes stood defiantly in the air, and ended in blond locks that fell on the youth's face; colors of violet, red, and black clashed against each other. The youth was a couple of shades darker than Seto; the tanned skin seemed kissed by the sun. The boy must've came from a tropical country. That or the visitor liked sunburns._

_Seto__ continued his silent perusal of the newcomer. "Standard issue uniform," he muttered. The young man was a field agent. Blue-eyed Seto was not one bit impressed. 'Probably he's some small fry agent from another branch,' he thought. Agents get to be transferred from one branch to another, either to be trained with more field work or the branch wanted to discard the hopeless agents without hurting their feelings. And just by looking at him, Seto quickly assessed that the newbie was a reject. With a small shrug, he sat down once more to resume his task._

_Seto__ was halfway typing the word 'signal' when a vein pulsed in his temple. The office was practically spitting off unholy noise. This totally pissed the tall agent off. So he abandoned his cubicle, and went to where the boy stood, along with Mahado, Mana, and Karimu, where they laughed happily with each other._

_"Hey shrimp, beat it," Seto spoke without proper introduction, practically wiping the smiles from the agents' faces. "If you're here to make some god awful noise, kindly step out of the building and bother someone else."_

_Mana__ gasped, and looked sourly at Seto, The blond-haired girl was about to hurl a retort, but the visitor stopped her with a careless wave of a hand. Mahado's frown was pronounced as ever. Karimu was simply gaping at Seto, looking incredulous._

_"I'd like to know your name," the boy's voice spoke of crisp English, yet there was no mistaking the foreign accent that melded in his speech._

_Seto__ raised an eyebrow. "Are you in any position to address me like that?" he asked. Then he noticed the crimson tinge in the youth's eyes. How unusual._

_The young man stared back at him in mild interest._

_Behind Mahado, a door opened, and out stepped Isis along with a portly old man. The foreign agent turned around, and then called out, "Grandpa!"_

_'Grandpa?'_

_The Director beamed, while bringing his arms wide, welcoming him. "Why, I thought you'd be arriving tomorrow!"_

_"I thought I might surprise you," the boy replied, a big grin pasted on his face._

_Seto__ stood still, quite shocked, but wasn't displaying any. Director Sugoroku Mutou saw Seto and quirked his eyebrow in interest. The youth seemed to notice this, and asked his grandfather, "Who might he be?"_

_"Oh! So you've already met my grandson Yami, Seth?"_

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"What?!"

Seto stands up angrily from where he sat, hardly believing what he had just heard. His right hand pulses with pain, blotting the bandages crimson red. He looks up at the Agency's superiors, one by one, who are silently watching him, unmoving and unblinking. He woke up a while ago and was told by Mokuba to meet the Director.

Rarely do the high members of the organization meet up in one place. Most of them are around somewhere else, dealing with other businesses, coordinating with the country's leaders regarding national security, and some others. All tasks are carried out in clandestine; only a selected few know of the existence of The Shinobi (1), a secret branch of the Central Defense Department of Domino. Yet here they are, gathered together around Seto like steel sentinels, displaying not a hint of impatience. Their attendance means something extremely serious.

"You heard me, Seth," the Director's voice is resigned and weary.

"I heard you perfectly well," he snaps back. "What I don't understand is why you came up with that rash decision."

Isis, the only female supervisor of The Shinobi, cries in outburst. "Watch your tone, agent Seth! You are addressing the Director!"

Director Sugoroku raises his palm. "No Isis, it is quite alright," he says. "He has his reasons for his indignation."

"I'll have you know Seth, that this decision was suitably argued and scrutinized by the panel of respective superiors. Keep it in mind that this is properly represented and is not rushed –"

"Then why wasn't I included in that panel?" Seto interrupts.

Mahado snorts derisively. "Seth, your participation is hardly needed. You don't happen to be a superior. It is not in your happy power to dish out judgements."

"Magician, _I _happen to be the agent for this job. _I'm _the one you send to collect and analyze the leads. _I _am the one who bust my ass on every fucking mission, while you sit down, away from danger, hissing nonsensical orders in my ears like you know any better." Seto's words flow unhindered and unchecked, his blue eyes flashing dangerously. "If there's anyone you should've included in your decision-making, it's _me_."

"I beg your pardon –"

"Enough of this!" Sugoroku thumps a fist on the table. Mahado stops and gives Seto the most insolent glare he could muster.

"Seto, I for one apologize for that apparent mistake," the old man bows down promptly. Seto notices the Director's shift of his alias to his real name. This is not good. "Yet we think that it is high time to give up the search. It is not wise to go any further…"

Long silence.

"Tell me, old man, have you already given up on your grandson?" Seto's voice is hollow, devoid of any emotion.

"There is not one instance that I doubted," Sugoroku replies. "But five years of relentless searching tell me that we are not going anywhere."

Seto's azure eyes lands on a picture frame perched on the Director's table.

"I did not give up, Seto, I never did." he approaches the tall man and stands quietly in front of him. "I merely _accepted_ the truth that I kept denying for a long time. It is time that you do the same…"

"…Yami is gone."

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"Five years…"

Seto stares at the sinking sun in the horizon. Clashing hues of vermilion, red, blue, and black paint the early evening sky.

"Just like his hair," he murmurs without thinking. A soft breeze brushes against his long chocolate fringes, slightly tickling his nose. Another day goes by, and he continually whiles away his time on the rooftop of the agency's high-rise building. He's been doing a lot of it lately – watch the sun as it wakes up and goes to sleep. More than a month has passed when The Shinobi gave up its worldwide manhunt for the Director's missing grandson.

Few stars lit up and twinkle quietly overhead. Night is already approaching.

After countless false leads, wild goose chases, and consecutive dead ends, the Council voted unanimously, based on insufficient amount of evidence, that chances of finding Yami alive was a big impossibility.

After five years, Yami Mutou's MIA status is finally lifted. (2)

He is now legally proclaimed dead.

_Dead._

_"Yami is gone,"_ Sugoroku Mutou's voice echoes in Seto's head, each word heavily magnified, almost drowning him senseless.

_Legally proclaimed dead._

So then, why does Seto feel that there's something horribly wrong and unsettling with that verdict?

**----To Be Continued----**

**Footnotes: (1) **Shinobi is another Japanese term for 'ninja' or an assassin. Actually, the word 'ninja' consists of two kanji characters; the first character represents 'shinobi'. It is literally translated as "without a heart". As for the second kanji character… I forgot… Gee, I think I should brush up on my Japanese again! XD

**(2)** MIA is short for Missing In Action, a military jargon pertaining to agents that disappear while on a mission. There is a big probability that those agents in question are dead already. O.o

**Author's Notes: **The first chapter seemed to drop its fast pace like that in the prologue, but I promise, things will certainly pick up! So stick with me! Chapter Two promises more action, comedy, and some other good stuff! ((grins))

**REVIEWS! **I feed on them! Tell me what you think of this story, the pairing /couple – in this case Seto/ Yami – my writing style, or you can tell me about the weather! **XD REVIEW! REVIEW! XD**

I did promise drawings, so regardless if you're going to review or not, you can just drop your email address at the Reviews Section, so I can email you! It's my attempt to draw Yami Yugi in a softer style, so let me share it to all of you! More drawings to come! I don't have a scanner, so I'm still having the other works rendered!

I'm plugging my other fics! Check them out if you've got the time!

**Merry-Go-Round – **my first YGO fic! Explore the Domino Theme Park with a sexually deprived Seto Kaiba. Watch out for alleys! XD I haven't updated this in months! ((sweatdrops)) Highly recommended for insane readers.

**The Unfaithful** – I deviate from my usual comical self and plunge to the world of angst! Two chapters long and the story is already finished! If you want to do some guesswork, this fic's for you! Highly recommended for readers who want a new (and disturbing) look into the YGO main characters.

**Young Blood **– my first YGO AU (Alternative Universe) fanfic! Prince Atem wakes up in a new era and looks for a lost lover. And an unspoken conflict threatens to destroy the frail fabric of humanity. Currently updating it along with this fic! If you want comedy, action, drama, angst, and mystery, CHECK THIS OUT AS WELL! Highly recommended for all types of persons!

Whew! I guess that's it! See you all in the next chapter!

Thanks a lot and Rock On! XD


	3. Chapter 2: Empty Casket

**Against Protocol by Mooguri Klaine**

**Author's Notes**: So here we are again! Uh…I can't say much stuff… ((sweatdrops))

To **Elusia**: thanks, thanks! Writing in Present Tense was particularly hard to write , but nevertheless, this tense gives a different feel! Thanks for finding it okay! XD

To **Nachzes****-Black Rider**: Lemons? ((giggles)) You'll find out soon enough! ((Mooguri Klaine joins Nachzes on the cliff, both staring at the sunset)) Yes, I love you, my first reviewer!! XD

To **Kekewey**: Seto's codename is Seth. XD And as for Mokuba and Seto's brotherly bond, you'll find out in this chapter! XD As for your ideas, tell meeee! I'd love to hear from you!

To **Blue September**: Thanks for that insight, though, writing some stuff in present tense has a significant part in the story…hope you don't mind! But I appreciated your review nonetheless!

To **shadows of chaos61**: What is it that you didn't see coming? XD But I'm glad you liked the chapter and the story thus far! XD ((thumbs up))

**Disclaimer**: Yu-Gi-Oh wa watashi no ja arimasen. Wakarimasuka? (Yu-Gi-Oh is not mine. Understand?)

**Warning**: Shonen-ai material and yaoi run around wildly in this fic of mine. Back off if it's not good for your health.

**Rating**: R, for language and violence. Seto seemed to love cursing anyone in sight in this fic. Plus, there's an added bonus! Watch for it! XD

**Summary**: Deception is the name of the game. And with a game like this, death is the only guarantee. And there are rules that demand absolute adherence. What happens when you go against protocol? READ, REVIEW, AND RECEIVE A PRIZE! XD

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**Chapter Two: Empty Casket******

(A/N: I want your email address! Leave them in the Reviews Section! Allow me to send you the drawing I made for lovely readers like you! XD)

_"I've heard from Karimu that you immediately got on the wrong side of that new agent."_

_"Haha, very funny, Mokuba," came the hollow reply._

_Seto__ decided to take refuge in the Operations Booth. Apparently, The Shinobi's prized field agent suddenly turned into the agency's laughingstock. Virtually everyone in the office saw the humiliation, and viewed it as hilarious, which made the brunet agent furious._

_"I'd like to wipe that smug look off that shrimp's face," he said. The memory of the newcomer's superior look still lingered in Seto's head, which gave him all the more reason to knock out a few front teeth from the pompous git._

_Mokuba__ snorted his strawberry milk shake, accidentally spraying on the keyboard in front of him. Seto raised an amused eyebrow while the little boy grabbed a handkerchief from his jumper pocket. "Oops. Better not let Tech Department see that. The Agency's pouring millions in Operations and I don't think they'll be happy when they see milk shake all over the gadgetry…"_

_Seto's__ blue eyes strayed over the vast expanse of the Operations Booth. This is where the most crucial events take place, the only link and lifeline of field agents outside while they risk their lives on countless of missions. Complicated machinery, sophisticated technology, and intricate wirings are what constitute the Ops booth. Several computers whirred automatically, processing thousands of data per second; electronic maps blinked with various dots as images from satellites changed every once in a while; various posters of anime characters were plastered on a vacant wall, and a medium-sized television is tuned in to Cartoon Network._

_Needless to say, only one person is capable of running the whole Operations Booth, knowing every detail of it as if it were the back of his hand. And in this case, it's a fourteen-year old kid._

_"Teen Titans!__ GO!" Mokuba happily sang the cartoon's opening song. (1)_

_Who wouldn't think that a kid did the dangerous and meticulous job of overseeing the Operations Booth single-handedly? Mokuba was one of the Agency's greatest assets, no doubt about it. And it was no accident how he landed a job in The Shinobi. The son of a well-reputed technical analyst who was working for a prominent crime family, Mokuba has long been a target of other crime organizations for the knowledge he holds. Then his father turned in to the government and divulged the secrets of the Mafia. Then, the Domino Defense Department decided to place the family under Witness Protection. Yet the crime family his father was working for discovered about it at once and quickly ordered for his assassination. Seto was a child prodigy back at that time himself, only fifteen years old when he started doing grown-up's missions. Mokuba's retrieval was one of his earliest assignments. Gunshots reverberated in the walls as Seto and other soldiers slew the murderers, with a feverish mantra in their heads: save the boy. Yet even Seto's arms could not hinder Mokuba from seeing the lifeless and bloodied remains of his parents. Mokuba was nine years old at that time, six years younger than Seto. (2)_

_"You want some pizza, big brother?" Mokuba offered him a large box._

_Big brother.__ Seto grew accustomed of hearing the young boy calling him 'big brother' ever since that fateful encounter, even if they weren't related at all. Hardly was there a resemblance among them – Seto was tall, brown-haired, impatient, and arrogant whilst Mokuba was small, raven-haired, funny, and easygoing. The closest semblance one can get was their eyes – both blue but with varying levels of intensities. Seto's was more pronounced, clear and piercing while the other was limpid, soft and gentle. But Seto treated him like a brother he never had, and the orphaned boy loved him for that. There was a joke among the agents that Seto was almost human now that Mokuba joined The Shinobi. _

_Seto__ grabbed a slice. "Thanks," he gratefully muttered. Maybe the joke's right all along. Perhaps Mokuba was his weakness. Though frankly, Seto would rather drown himself in the bathtub before admitting that to anyone else. (3)_

---------

"Mission accomplished," drawls Seto as he leaps out of the window and lands safely onto the street outside.

"You have the data disc?"

"Magician, I wouldn't say 'Mission accomplished' if I hadn't procure what I came for, now would I?" he answers irritably.

"A little respect for your superior is all I demand, agent," Mahado hisses.

"Then I have one favor to ask of you as well," Seto starts.

"What is it?"

"Get the hell out of my earpiece. I want Mokuba on this, not you."

There is a short click. Mokuba is back online.

"Dark Magician looks pissed off," the boy whispers.

"He should know better. I already told him not to butt in on my missions."

"SOP, big brother," Mokuba replies while nibbling a pretzel. (4) "It is imperative that a supervisor watches over an official mission, from its commencement up to its accomplishment. It –"

"So as much as I want to leave your ass alone, I couldn't. Not much of a choice in there, isn't it?" Mahado interrupts, voice still furious.

"The feeling is mutual; I hate you too," Seto answers fervently.

"I'm glad we actually agree on something, agent."

----------

_"Excellent job, Yami!"_

_Seto__ sent a murderous glance to the small group on the other side of the shooting range. Mahado, Mana, and Karimu clapped appreciatively as Yami fired another shot at the moving target._

_"Bull's eye!"_

_The tall agent, tired from sitting down writing another boring mission report, decided to stretch a few limbs and practice a bit. Actually, there's a much heavier reason: he couldn't stand the coos and cries of admiration from Yami's "cheerleaders", hero-worshipping him like he was some sort of god. And for Seto, Yami was anything but god-like – he's more like a shrimp loser. He considered going anywhere just to rid himself of those crazy persons. This eventually led him to the shooting range._

_Yet the brunet agent hasn't even gotten a good few rounds when the nagging voices floated inside the practice area. He openly groaned at the sight of them and his response went unnoticed. That time, Yami noticed it and flashed him a disapproving look._

_Seto__ loaded his gun promptly and with a burst of speed, he aimed the gun and fired continuously. Shells of bullets fell to the ground below him, tinkling like bells as it hit on the floor. He finished the whole clip and stopped briefly to admire his handiwork. Clean, swift, and accurate – just the way he liked it. He wasn't the Shinobi's number one agent for nothing._

_That momentarily shut the group up. He stole a surreptitious look to where Yami stood, and saw him quite amazed; even Mahado seemed to be grudgingly in awe to actually say anything._

_Then Seto heard footsteps nearing him._

_"Quite amazing, Seth."__ It was Yami. "I am impressed."_

_Cold blue eyes turned to where the other agent stood. "Hn."_

_"Really, Seth, a little 'thank you' won't hurt."_

_Seto__, in turn, raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't aiming for your admiration, shrimp," he replied. "So you can keep your compliments to yourself."_

_And he added, "And stop following me."_

_If the first bout of statements angered Yami, he didn't show it. But when Seto proceeded to add a bit more, the formal disposition dropped from his persona. He narrowed his blood-red eyes and glared at the taller agent. "Following you? Stop flattering yourself, Seth." His voice dripped with contempt._

_"And stop filling up your already-bulbous and swollen head," said the other simply. This earned him severe looks from Mahado and Mana._

_However, Karimu was keen to end the escalating word war. "Uh…guys…" he started uncertainly as he looked at both the glowering agents. "I suggest that you break it up and –"_

_At this time, both men drew up their guns and pointed them quickly at each other. Mana drew an audible gasp. Karimu lost his voice to intervene and just dreadfully gaped at them._

_Now it was Mahado's turn to interrupt, actually remembering his duties. "Stop it, you two! Drawing your guns is highly unnecessary!" Yet both ignored him._

_Seto__ held the gun stiff in his fingers, never wavering its firm hold. Yami was also displaying the same strict stance, his right pointer finger lightly squeezing the trigger._

_"Looks like you could do with deflating your head, shrimp. Allow me to do it for you," Seto said with a steely glint in his cold eyes._

_"And let me return the favor as well," Yami answered coolly, not showing the slightest bit of hesitance. This threw Seto off a bit; this shrimp have guts to stand up and rival with him. The carmine eyes registered a look of intense dislike, along with an unmistakable hint of murder lurking in it. No doubt that if Yami chose to kill Seto, he can easily do that without batting an eyelash._

_As for Yami, their murderous glares were starting to tire him. He had to admit, those intense sapphire eyes were slightly unnerving him. He had never seen cold hues like that before in his entire life. But judging from where he came from – which was Egypt – Agent Seth is the only person he met that had blue eyes. Their staring contest raged on, yet neither one was yielding. Yami now felt incredibly foolish; he knew that there weren't any bullets left in his gun, as he had spent all of it a while ago. But he raised his weapon, nonetheless, as if he was full to the brim with his lethal arsenal. His eyes darted briefly to his opponent's gun and shuddered inwardly. This is not good. Yami knew that he had to drop his guard and surrender, even if he has to swallow his pride in one go._

_"Tch."__ With a furious grunt, Seto lowered his weapon, and stalked away, much to the surprise of Mahado, Mana, Karimu, and especially, Atem._

_To Seto, there was no point of winning the battle with the Director's grandson. He was more than happy to fire a shot, but…_

_…his magazine was empty._

----------

"You wanted to see me, Director?"

"Yes, Seth. Come on in, and have a seat." Sugoroku waves a hand to one of the chairs in front of him.

Seto nods and proceeds to sit down.

"I want to congratulate you for a job well done on the last mission in Las Vegas. You certainly know your strengths well, Seth," the Director smiles benignly at him.

At this, Seto raises an eyebrow. "I appreciate the kudos, Director, but I don't think you called me here just to congratulate me for finishing a small-fry mission. You could've sent me a bouquet of flowers instead."

Sugoroku claps his hand while he lets out an easy laugh. "Seth, I am starting to believe that Karimu's good-natured sarcasm is rubbing off on you."

The young agent remains silent, apparently indecisive as to how he should react.

"But well-spotted, as what would be expected from a top agent," Sugoroku continues. "However I must correct you that the disc you delivered was a veritable mine of information, and this 'small-fry' mission made a lot of difference for the Shinobi…" He smiles once more as he takes leave of his chair, standing up to face the clear window behind him.

A few minutes' silence ensues. The stout old man still continues his silent perusal of the roads below him.

"It is almost the fourth of June, is it not, Seto?"

Seto's sapphire eyes widens momentarily before reverting to its usual slanted form.

"…Who wouldn't forget your grandson's birthday?" he answers, shrugging his head slightly.

More silence.

The Director sighs. "We will be having a funeral service for him on that day, Seto. I believe that he deserves a proper ceremony to commemorate his passing."

"…I see."

Sugoroku turns around to face the agent. "I would be glad if you'd do a eulogy on him."

Seto stares back at him without the slightest flicker of emotion. He stands up briefly and makes his way to the door, closing it promptly, leaving the old man in the office.

Sugoroku goes back to looking into the horizon.

"I'll take that as a 'yes', then…"

----------

If one were to observe the scene from afar, he might behold a big gaping mass of black clashing against the velvety grass of the cemetery. All of Shinobi is present at the funeral of Yami Mutou, silently standing in reverence, clad in their formal black suits. Quite a number showed up, bringing along with them, flowers of startling simplicity or extravagant bouquets and stands. Yet no one pays any mind.

A priest presides over the simple service, initiating a holy mass, something that is rarely done by most of the employees of the agency. But just this once, they get to do it together, and with good reason.

An impressive, shiny black coffin is placed in the center of a makeshift stage, where a simple wooden podium stands near it. Seto lifts himself up from his chair and approaches the platform. All eyes shift to him, waiting patiently for the young man to start.

"Ironic, really, that most of us see a person fully when he is gone." Honestly, Seto did not prepare for the speech. "We are forced to see through his beautiful traits, elaborating on how kind-hearted and generous he used to be, and how he made sense to a part of our lives. We proceed to rely on our memories, and create a concept of him in our heads, a pathetic dummy to fill the missing void…"

"Yet such is temporary; it's a defense mechanism we are all aware of, and yet we choose to deny altogether…"

"…and deep inside, we see it, as plain as day…" Seto could hear some people sobbing softly.

"And yes, we cry with all our might."

"A eulogy was made for the purpose of reliving what was once alive, to pour nauseatingly-sweet words to a person you wouldn't know if he was listening in heaven, or laughing himself silly in hell or someplace else…"

"For me, I call it a futile exercise." Some throw odd glances at him, most surprised, others confused and questioning. Mahado glares at the brunet from the back of the crowd.

"I came here to bury Yami, not to praise him." (5)

Silence fills the area. As if on cue, a slow, rattling wind sweeps through the entire crowd, bringing with it the fallen leaves of countless trees dotting the humble courtyard.

Seto pauses, allowing his eyes to follow the slow, smooth flight of the leaves. Many linger in the air in mid-flight, acting much like dancers in a twisted air dance. His gaze goes beyond the crowd and into the lonely patch of trees beyond. For no reason, his cerulean pools refuse to leave the spot, straining him, willing him to look further.

Then a figure materializes among the shade of the woods. Seto squints before his form goes completely rigid with shock.

Much to the surprise of everyone, the speaker rushes down from the pedestal, and moves blindly past them, striding down the length of the aisle.

"Yami?!" Seto calls out uncertainly to the wind.

**----To Be Continued----**

**Footnotes: (1)** Teen Titans – Yes, I am beginning to like that anime-ish cartoon by Warner Brothers. XD Mokuba watching it looks pretty good for me so I decided to write him with it! XD

**(2)** In the YGO anime and manga, Seto Kaiba is five years older than Mokuba. But in this fic, I thought six years' difference would be better. Hmm…

**(3)** Seto and Mokuba aren't brothers in this fic. Mokuba calling him 'big brother' was just out of habit. :D

**(4)** SOP – not Sex on Phone. It stands for Standard Operating Procedure, meaning agents follow a specific canon for conducting missions and other stuff in the Agency.

**(5)** This line was more or less taken from the play 'Julius Caesar' by William Shakespeare. We read a LOT of his works most of my high school life, yet I can't seem to apply his flowery lines to a fanfic of my choosing. I can't really have Seto spouting, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…" ((sweatdrops)) Or how about this line from Romeo and Juliet: "Oh Yami, Yami, wherefore art thou, oh Yami?" ((shudders)) XD

**Author's Notes**: Take note that the italicized part you see in the story is some sort of flashback. You'll be seeing a number of it at some chapters to follow. I think it'd be better to provide snippets from five years ago rather than writing the whole thing XD

Chapter Two finished! What do you think? Is this story promising or what? XD Tell me what you think! I feed on your comments! Plot suggestions are more than welcome! As for those willing to beta my upcoming chapters, feel free to tell me! We'll see each other in our e-mail domains! :D

I did promise drawings, so regardless if you're going to review or not, you can just drop your email address at the Reviews Section, so I can email you! Against Protocol drawings for you! And I got new ones too! ((beams happily))

I hope you guys won't mind if you'll be receiving drawings other than Yu-Gi-Oh… Most of my YGO works aren't scanned yet, which leaves me the option of sending a fanart from another anime…like Crush Gear Turbo… Tell me if you still want me to send it! XD It's a nice picture of Kuroudo and Kyousuke! ((coos and giggles))

More developments will eventually unfold! So stick with me! I'll never let you go, my readers! See you in the next installment of Against Protocol! ((winks))

Thanks a lot and Rock On! XD


	4. Chapter 3: Shrink

**Against Protocol by Mooguri Klaine**

**Author's Notes**: By the time I post this, it's already November 5 here in our place… and that means… I'm a year older…eep…! O.o While some would take great delight celebrating their birthdays, I, on the other hand, feel I am a step closer to turning into a monster called an "adult" ((looks around if my parents are somewhere near the vicinity)) LOL :D Nah, I'm still a kid at heart, no matter what! YOUTH POWER! XD

A lot's been wondering where the heck is Yami all these years… THAT would be the central question that I'm aiming for to be answered (make a guess too if you want…tell me!), so I hope I'm not boring you into these introductory chapters, as all the stuff written in here will determine the latter installments to come. I'm trying to get a crack into making it complex and full of depth… So expect it to be full of twists and mysteries! I have A LOT of concepts, but writing them posts as an intense challenge – I just hope I'll be able to deliver it in a way you'll understand… STICK WITH ME! TT—TT

To **Melrose Stormhaven** - Yey! Yet another new reviewer! Thanks for that! Of course, I'll be sending the drawings I promised! Oh..do tell me your e-mail addy! XD

To **Demon **– Oops. Hehe, I guess cliffies are the best! Sorry for injecting a lot of that in my fics… I can't help it; they're so fun! XD Tell me your e-mail address! XD

To **Mordred-of-Loth **– WOW! **_I _**was the one who actually converted you to the Dark… err, Seto/Yami Side?! ((blushes)) Hehe, that's very sweet! **S/Y rocks!** I'll email you soon, 'cause I got a lot of stuff to tell ya (as well as the drawings I promised)! :D And oh…sorry for that cliffhanger last chapter! Your e-mail addy, by the way? :D

To **The Unknown **– Hehe, so sorry for that unfair ending! But tarry not, 'cause the latest chapter is out! Thanks, new reviewer! Let's just hope I'll start ending the chapters fairly! XD And do tell me your e-mail address! Thanks!

To **Nachzes-Black Rider** – Yeah, YAOI FOREVER! And FAKE ROCKS! I should get another volume of their manga! Yay! Got some nice fics on them you might want to recommend? XD

To **Elusia** – Hey, thanks for that suggestion! Now many things made sense to me! If you learned of anything new, tell me! I haven't had Creative Writing Classes myself, so I wouldn't know the rudimentary standards of story development and its technical aspects! ((sobs)) And thank goodness, you didn't find Seto's speech OOC at all! ((hugs Elusia and showers her with cookies))

To **Misoka** – Where was Yami all this time? That's the question I'll be using to base the middle to latter parts of the fic! And thanks for loving the story! I promise you, this will eventually build up in terms of mystery and action, along with other niceties…((giggles))

To **swtdreams07 **– Where is Yami? That's precisely everyone else's question, and you'll get the answer soon enough! Hmmm…as to how tall he is… hmm, definitely a lot smaller than Seto – I leave that to your imagination… but I guess Yami looks roughly around 5 feet 4 inches or so... And as to whether Yugi is in it or not… I can't say much yet! :D

To **shadowsofchaos61 **– Yami's whereabouts are still a mystery…but as for his return… Watch out for it! XD

To **Faith, the uke Seto gal** – Yes, I've found another Teen Titans lover! ((hugs Faith)) Seto and Yami's relation will eventually be revealed; stick with me! :P

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything around here, except the concept that hatched in my brain. Don't sue me, as it is only a futile attempt. I will run away from you and you won't get anything essential from me, save for a big nasty headache! XD

**Warning**: This is a Yu-Gi-Oh AU fic about guns, agents, and an unlikely love that spurns in the hearts of two rivals. Expect violence, shonen-ai (boy love), and sex, among other things. Back off if this is not for you.

**Rating**: R, for bad language, mature themes, and bad stereotyping made by yours truly. More to come, of course! XD

**Summary**: Deception is the name of the game. And with a game like this, death is the only guarantee. And there are rules that demand absolute adherence. What happens when you go against protocol? READ, REVIEW, AND RECEIVE A PRIZE! XD

**----------**

**Chapter Three: Shrink**

(**Author's Note**: Take note that the _italicized parts _indicate past events, particularly five years prior to Yami's "disappearance" seen in the Prologue… Present events are written in present tense, and are shown in normal font. The Prologue acts as a reference point to past, present, and future events in this story.)

_"Proceed with caution."_

_"Roger."_

_"Watch it, that was my foot!"_

_"Sorry, Karimu."_

_"Mokuba, any sign of threat on all planes?" Seto whispered in the darkness._

_"Hmmm… Done with the infra-red scan, heat scan, and X-ray," Mokuba's voice said in their ears. "No one alive to obstruct you, save for a couple of lizards and rats."_

_"Switch on to night-vision setting; it's too risky to open your halogen flashlights." Mahado advised to the field agents._

_"Best idea you have all night!" Karimu promptly twiddled with the night-vision setting of his ocular lens. "Yami keeps on stepping on me."_

_"I would gladly step out of your way had it not for Seth hogging the space." Yami grunted in reply. Even in the darkness, he could tell that the tall agent swiveled to his direction._

_"Excuse me, shrimp," Seto began. "I am merely 'proceeding with caution', as Dark Magician puts it, so stop being an insufferable jerk."_

_"I have a question, Dark Magician," started Yami. "Why is he the team leader for this mission?"_

_"Well Yami, this is your first field mission in this branch, and things operate quite differently from where you came from. You need a captain that has been working within this branch for a long while, given that he has expertise and vast experience in these types of missions." This was Mahado's reply, but there was a grudging tone added on the second sentence, the voice sounding forced and strained._

_Seto smirked. "Magician, you actually praised me? I never thought I'd see this day…"_

_"Shut up. Proceed with the mission."_

_"I'll fill you in again, guys," Mokuba interrupted. "Devlin Industries has been concocting a lot of dubious machineries for a long while now. We recently acquired video surveillance containing footages of their factory manufacturing a highly sophisticated weapon, the actual blueprint we already procured on one of the past missions…_

_"It is some sort of a high-performance gun that can house a lot of pressurized bullets, with auto-acceleration system, barrels that can neutralize the force of recoil, along with shock absorbers to lessen the impact and what's more, an auto-sensor is added for locking on to targets and a digital wavelength meter –" (1) _

_"Uh…Mokuba…do you come in subtitles? 'Coz I didn't get you back there…" Karimu said uncertainly._

_"Simply put, it's bad-ass gun that can blow your insides with the maximum possible force without as much as a whisper escaping from the gun. Perfect for assassination and swift and gruesome deaths."_

_"Now you sound like someone from the Home TV Shopping Network," remarked Karimu, snickering slightly at his own joke. "But I understood that, thank God…"_

_"That's why it's aptly called as 'The Silencer'," Mokuba finished with feeling. "Cool name, huh?"_

_"I would've done this mission by myself. I just don't see the point of a clown and a shrimp joining in this assignment," Seto spoke as the three of them passed by a deserted clearing inside the warehouse. Karimu let out a disgruntled sound. "Especially the shrimp newbie. He'll just slow us down."_

_"I _don't _slow _anyone _down, Seth," replied Yami irritably._

_"Oh? I suppose you were with a bunch of snails last time you had your mission, perhaps?"_

_"No, I was the leader of a four-man team consisting of Rank-A agents."_

_"Big deal."_

_"Cut it out, you two. Geez…" Karimu filled the post of the referee every time both men put down each other. Put Seto and Yami in one room and there's bound to be trouble in an instant._

_"Remember this, shrimp: If you – in any way – slow me down, or put us in jeopardy, I won't hesitate to kill you, got that?"_

_Yami groped for his gun and eased it out from its container, clicking it ready. "But the question, Seth, is this… _

_"Are you fast enough to keep up with me?"_

----------

"I think your big brother's losing it," Karimu says to Mokuba as they watch the last of the guests finally leaving the cemetery. A few agents are left, the ones who stayed behind to patrol the surrounding area, and along with the Director, who is now speaking to Seto.

"He said he saw Yami…" Mokuba looks over to the spot where they continually searched – a small patch of trees – for a sign of the Director's grandson, one that the tall agent claimed he saw in the midst of the funeral service.

"Yeah, okay… So…where the hell is he, then?"

"I don't know – "

"That's because he's supposed to be dead!"

Mokuba bites his lip gingerly and gazes at his older brother from a distance.

"That's what I think too…"

----------

_"Anything on scopes, Mokie?"_

_"Mokie? Don't call me that; it sucks," Mokuba replied, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "Anyway…" the young boy at the Operations Booth squinted at the monitors before him, scanning the satellite images of the mission site. His fingers' movement seemed almost blurred from its fast typing; only ease and expertise of working in the Ops Booth could only come naturally to a child genius like Mokuba._

_"Whoa, I think our Intel on this site is a bit off…" he remarked._

_"Why is that? Something wrong?" Mahado queried in an alarmed voice._

_"Mokie, if you're talking 'bout security, we know the standard stuff – booby traps, motion sensors, infrared and ultraviolet detectors, the works - " started Karimu in a bored voice, rolling his eyes as he did so._

_"No, there's a lot more than we've anticipated!" Panic flashed in the boy's pale eyes. Unfortunately, none saw it, even Mahado, who could only gape at the rotating floor plan on the computer screen_

_"There's no need to worry about us, Mokuba," Seto said. "You have the 3-D floor plan, so you guide us on our way through. We'll deal with the traps; you'll be our eyes."_

_"Oh boy, this is going to be tricky…"_

_At the actual site, Yami brought down a sleek backpack from his shoulders, bringing it down to the floor gently and quickly zipping open the bag. Karimu noticed the ripping sound of Velcro and spun in his place, his gun aiming wildly around. The sound didn't go unnoticed in the brunet agent as well._

_"Shrimp, what the hell are you doing?"_

_Seto's inquiry went unheard in Yami's ears, for now, he was busy contacting Mokuba in the Ops Booth. "Mokuba, I want you to send me the 3-D hologram of this building, complete with dimensions, and crucial checkpoints, and other major accesses."_

_"Got it. I'll need a maximum of four minutes to send you what you need," came Mokuba's confirmation._

_Angry that the smaller agent was trying to best him, Seto approached ominously and growled, "What's the meaning of this? I don't remember ordering you what to do."_

_"What I'm doing, Agent Seth, is saving all our cumulative asses, especially yours," Yami answered flatly, his eyes never leaving the small compact computer. "Once we enter that security-infested factory, I'll expect that there will be a slight delay in our communications, because we'll be overlapping with theirs at some point. And to avoid detection from their system, we have to lessen our contact in the Ops Booth unless absolutely necessary – "_

_"Yami's right. I detected a pretty impressive barrier fortified inside the facility, the slight delay approximates to about two to three seconds," Mokuba said almost at once, but in a sheepish voice. He could imagine Seto's reaction now._

_"Precisely my point," Yami nodded his head. "I'm afraid we can't rely on the Ops Booth for this. Even a second off can prove to be fatal to the operation –"_

_"Excuse me, shrimp, I happen to be the team leader for this assignment. Don't go on deciding on your own," Seto interrupted in a furious and dangerous tone. "There's –"_

_Now it was Yami's turn to interrupt. "Seth, I am not here to steal the leadership limelight from anyone. You see, I'm not so trivial like you –"_

_"Trivial? What the f –"_

_"What I'm merely doing is creating a plan to properly infiltrate the facility without detection –"_

_"I'd wisely suggest that you stay out of this, shrimp. I've handled more dangerous missions, more than your pathetic ass can take, and clearly, I don't fucking need your help," said Seto in a hint of steel and finality, his pointer finger jabbing painfully in Yami's chest._

_Yami's patience finally took its toll as he squarely solidified his stance, and pushed Seto away from him. "Watch it, agent. I mean it." His crimson eyes flared dangerously in the darkness._

_"Oh yeah? Or what?" came Seto's taunting reply, obviously trying to provoke the other agent._

_"HEY, HEY, HEY!" Karimu filled in his post yet again, actually coming in between the two short-fused men, not caring whether he was shouting on top of his lungs._

_Back in the Operations Booth, even calm supervisor Mahado totally lost his cool, banging his fist indignantly near the communicator, sending a wincing sound to the other line. There they are, three of the top Shinobi agents, a few meters outside the facility, acting very much like schoolchildren fighting over their recess._

_"YOU THREE, SHUT UP!" He bellowed on the communicator. "You are in a mission, for God's sake, so have the decency to act like professionals, if not agents!_

_"Seth, as a team leader, stop strutting as if you own the whole universe. Everyone knows the mission detail – not just you – so don't be a narrow-minded bastard. You're supposed to pull the team together, not act and decide on your own._

_"As for you, Yami, don't lose your cool so quickly; we haven't even started on the first phase of the mission. If you wish to delegate something to your group, tell them at once rather than proceeding with it on your own. You're a brilliant agent, and I can't have you losing your patience over trivialities…"_

_Seto noticed the stark contrast of Mahado's voice and statement on Yami: sounding more like a friendly advice than a reprimand and devoid of the insulting words that was obviously present in his. _'That biased son-of-a-bitch…' _he cursed the supervisor in his thoughts._

_"And you have a sole purpose in this mission, Karimu."_

_"What's that?"_

_"Stop the two from throttling each other."_

----------

Seto looks squarely in the Director's eyes. "I am pretty sure I saw your grandson, definitely alive and present, and it's absolutely not a figment of my imagination…"

"I would like to believe you, Seth – " the Director started.

"Then _believe me_, Director. Is that too hard to do?" Seto's voice is nearing the feeling of exasperation. He felt like he was shouting endlessly to a deaf crowd, and the present situation is not helping him the slightest. He is very certain Yami showed up in his own funeral, not as a spirit, but as a live and breathing person. He couldn't be wrong. He couldn't be.

His eyes cease to stare at the Director's and instead, focus on the approaching Karimu and Mokuba. "No sign of him, Director," says Karimu, giving a one-hand salute upon reaching a proper distance. The other man does the same, but says of nothing. Seto feels that the teenager is purposely avoiding his gaze.

Sighing, Sugoroku replies, "I see…"

Mahado and Ishizu now join the small group, saluting all the same before speaking. "We've combed the whole perimeter, sir – "

"And?"

Ishizu shakes her head grudgingly; also keen to avoid Seto's eyes. "No sign nor traces of him."

"Tell the other agents to abandon search; we're heading back," the old man says tiredly. He lands an assuring hand on Seto's shoulder. "We shall be conducting a more thorough investigation when we go to the headquarters, Seth. There's not a thing to worry."

Karimu murmurs softly to Mokuba, "This is crazy; it's almost evening, and we found none of what Seth is claiming to be present –"

Unfortunately, the brunet agent hears it, causing him to look crossly at the Egyptian agent, totally breaking apart in front of the Director. "Do you take me for a liar, Karimu? Because I'm definitely not making this whole fucking thing up!"

Mokuba utters a cry of surprise as he sees Seto seizing the other agent by the collars of the formal suit, forcing him to even out their heights. Ishizu gasps and calls to Seto to stop, but he seems to be ignoring her pleas, the anger ringing ominously in his ears.

"Hey, chill out, Seth, I didn't mean to sound accusing – " Karimu apologizes profusely, while trying to pry the brunet's hands off him. However, Seto's grip is vice-like, the agent refusing to soften his hold. He is not a liar; he saw Yami with his own blue eyes, he really did! Does he have to gouge his eyes out just to prove his worth?

"Stop this, Seto!" the firm voice of the Director brings the blue-eyed agent to his senses, shrugging jerkily as he frees Karimu, pushing him away from him. Karimu heaves an enormous sigh of relief and attempts to straighten out his suit.

Now, he could tell that the others see him absolutely foolish, him feeling very much like a child convincing adults that one plus one makes two. "Look, I saw him! It's not a lie, he was there –"

"Seto, we know you are not lying, but you must try to get a hold of yourself," Director Sugoroku manages a weak smile, resuming his previous task to patting the agent's shoulder reassuringly. "Right now, we must stop for the meantime and gather whatever we can…"

Not one of the words the old man had said brought comfort to the blue-eyed Seto. He feels awfully vague and empty, as if missing something very important, yet he couldn't grasp any of it. He could easily sense the doubt stirring in everyone around him: Mahado shakes his head wearily, while Ishizu's eyes reflect nothing guaranteeing; Mokuba, even, gazes at him sadly, almost as if pitying him. He placidly nods, acting as if he had sobered considerably, yet everything stirs uncomfortably in his gut.

----------

_"You were _**just fighting **_all this freaking time?!" he bellowed in disbelief; he had finished eliminating a few straggling guards who might send off the security alarm, instructing both the agents to retrieve the gun in the vault. Now he realized that entrusting things to those two men was just like trusting a kid to do your postgraduate thesis. After what seemed to be like an eternity, they have finally reached the Devlin Industries' top-secret vault without too much problem._

_Karimu learned that two of his teammates _are _the problem in the equation._

_"I'll do this myself! Geez, you guys are just plain hopeless!" Before approaching the vault, he eyed the two icily, who were now unnaturally quiet, but still managing to look cold and aloof. Karimu brought back the communications online._

_"Hey!" Mokuba's voice sounded comforting and full of relief in the present situation. "I was beginning to think you guys are goners!"_

_"We're all fine; it's just that I have two stupid agents with me, and they're not helping matters," replied Karimu tersely._

_The teenager's laugh echoed through their earpieces. "Anyway, give me a visual on the vault. I want to see the inner workings of it…"_

_"Mokie, use Seth's eyes; I'm allergic to contact lenses," came Karimu's reply. Thankfully, the chocolate-haired agent didn't object._

_"Right on." Upon hearing Mokuba's voice, Seto received a slight electric jolt as the optic camera in his eyes sparked to life. (2) He winced ever slightly, but remained still. Sensing the agent's discomfort, Mokuba apologized, "Oops, big brother, sorry 'bout that small discharge. You see something different?"_

_Seto's vision just switched to X-ray. "The iris-cam was one of the better inventions hatched by the brilliant minds of Shinobi; it's a fully functional camera that can record, distort, magnify, and see through objects, all compressed in a millimeter-thick gelatin-based lens," Mokuba's eager voice explained as he happily tapped on the images he'd picked up from Seto's iris-cam. And he continued, "Plus, they come in various colors and designs! I hope the blue lens matched your original ones; I chose that one myself!"_

_"Now Mokuba, it was hardly necessary to place too much value on the aesthetics," Mahado started. "What we're after for is the function; any color will do – "_

_"Nah. It's actually advisable to choose colors closest to your original eyes, so as not to have too much interference. Says so in the manual," Mokuba said simply, shutting the officer up._

_A small shadow of a triumphant grin passed by Seto's face briefly before he went back to his stoic self. Mahado being put off by a kid was definitely a wonderful moment he should commit to memory. But, back to work. "I see various parts of intricate machinery beyond the vault, but I don't see the gun among them."_

_"That's strange," Mokuba scratched his head quizzically while he sipped on his chocolate shake._

_Beside Yami, Karimu whooped triumphantly as he succeeded unlocking the vault, happily shoving the metal door open. Both Egyptian agents leapt inside, Seto following closely behind them._

_"It looks like these are parts of the gun you were talking about, Mokuba," Yami's hand gently landed on the sleek metal of a gun part, his eyes glinting with silent awe. Karimu held up another part, looked at it from various angles, and let out a whistle._

_"The gun's made out of light and strong material, like some sort of alloy…" Seto murmured._

_"I can't tell what it is from here; naturally, you have to bring it to HQ for some standardized tests and observation." The young boy's lips turned to a small pout; he didn't like it when he didn't know things._

_Mahado took full control of the field agents. "Okay, enough poking around. Retrieve all the parts, and be at the extraction point in exactly 2300 hours."_

_"Roger." All three agents nodded affirmatively. It was time to get out of there._

_"Over and out!" Mokuba said with relish as he terminated the link. He loved saying that line._

----------

Shinobi Director Sugoroku watches the limousine drive off in the distance, bearing with it Seto, Mokuba, Karimu, and Mana back to the Agency Headquarters. Ishizu, Mahado, and Shada stand beside him doing the same. The old man waits for the car to disappear from view before finally turning to the three officials, the folds and creases of his face making him appear more tired than ever.

"Director, as Seth's supervisor, I apologize on his behalf for the unacceptable behavior he'd caused today –"

The Director holds up a hand patiently to stop Mahado, shrugging slightly. "There is no need for such, Mahado. What he is feeling should not be branded as unacceptable." He sighs and continues on.

"The young man is merely upset about the whole ordeal. And because of this, he could not get over many things – for instance, my grandson's death…

"That boy grew up not knowing friends, but he found them among you, the people in the Agency." He looks at the officers gratefully. "Though he is not keen to express that sentiment out loud, I am sure he feels equally blessed…

"Of course, there was my grandson, whom he viewed as an extreme and worthy rival. I never thought the Shinobi would never be the same without their seemingly endless duels against each other." His eyes seem to shimmer with nostalgia, fondly recalling a memory from a far-off day.

"And amidst the squabbles, fights and bickering that almost always broke out between the two of them, I think they have found each other as the most unlikely allies, especially in this line of business."

Mahado clears his throat promptly, catching the attention of the elder. "Oh do forgive me for that random blather; I think it must be the effects of old age." He lets out a hearty guffaw briefly before his expression suddenly turning serious. "I believe, Mahado, that you have something in mind?"

Not wanting to beat around the bush, the brown-haired man speaks at once, proceeding directly to the point. "Director, I think it is likely that Seth is clearly in distraught, in the light of recent events. As his commanding officer, I deemed it best for him to be subjected in psychotherapy by one of our top specialists –"

"Best for him, Mahado?" asks Sugoroku in a mild tone, not accusing nor questioning, but simply a mere inquiry. "I do not think Seth will take this lightly. The last thing he needs is to be presented to a shrink…"

"Director, we are not under the impression that he is crazy. It is just that his emotions are getting in the way of his job as an agent," Shada answers curtly.

"He is our top man at the moment, and the least we wanted from him is to become a nervous wreck," Ishizu continues. "Personal matters can lead to dangerous compromises – "

"Oh yes, the Shinobi Code of Conduct," the Director cuts in, allowing the familiar words to flow. "No matter what happens, true shinobi must never, ever show their emotions.

"The mission is the only priority. Carry that in your heart, and never shed a tear… " (3) He gazes at the three young persons once more, his wise and sagacious eyes benevolently twinkling. "I believe that is a part of your sworn statement?"

Three heads nod silently in reply. Then a limousine parks in front of Sugoroku, and a uniformed driver emerges, promptly opening the door for the Director. He silently approaches, and prepares to embark, stopping for a moment to give the cemetery a last hopeful glance, as if searching for someone.

"Then, the total eradication of feelings is what makes a shinobi? It is like saying that you should cease to be humans for the sake of professional duty," Sugoroku mutters, more to himself than to the agents. "It must be unbearable for all of you at times…"

None of the three Shinobi officials choose to speak, preferring to stare guiltily at the grass below their shoes.

Not waiting for any more response, Sugoroku ends the uncomfortable silence. "Do what you think is wise for Seto." And heaving another tired sigh, the old man enters the car, the chauffeur clambering back inside. The silent humming from the engine fills the silent street, as the limousine slowly shrinks in the distance, until there was no more.

**----To Be Continued----**

**Footnotes: (1)** I swear, I don't know half of what I wrote in that paragraph…The gun's description and features was just one of my make-believe stuff, so rest assured, 'The Silencer' is just a figment of my imagination… You must've encountered this gun from somewhere else other than this chapter in the story! XD

**(2)** The optic camera, or the iris-cam, is indeed a wonderful piece of technology! And I got it from Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl… I just love that book! Nice play of words, and the dialogues are just goood! I've based some of the Eoin's characters – especially ones involved both in the Ops Booth and on field – into the YGO mainstream…like Mokuba acting as the technician Foaly, Mahado from Colonel Root, and some others…XD

**(3)** I don't know if a thing such as the Shinobi Code of Conduct exists…but I got this from Chapter 31 of the Naruto manga! It was Haruno Sakura who said it while weeping over the supposedly dead Uchiha Sasuke. Yes, I am also a hardcore Naruto fan! Rock Lee RULES! ((throws a Rock Lee plushie along with Yami and Seto dolls in the air))

**Author's Notes: **Yahoo! What better way to celebrate my birthday by uploading a new chapter! I just love you guys! ((group hug)) This is just one of the treats I'm willing to dish out to lovely readers like you! I just finished drawing and coloring another YGO fanart, and I'll be trying to send them straight away when I'm free to go online…I just finished enrolling this semester, and there's still a lot of work waiting to be done! I'm hoping that I'll keep in touch with you soon! ((prays))

Our organization here in the university is currently planning an anime convention this coming December, so my platter's becoming steadily fuller by the second – and it's just the start of the semester! Argh. I'm actually assigned to do lots of critical jobs like stage design, floor planning and layout, as well as… ROAD PAINTING…eep… ((faints)) So much to do, so much to dooo! ((panics)) So I'm also hoping that I might deliver the next chapter soon, so as to keep you happy!

And yeah, **REVIEW THIS CHAPTER, please! **I think I slowed down A LOT with the pacing; I hope I didn't bore you out with some of the scenes! More action will eventually unfold, so STICK WITH ME! XD

**What's in Chapter Four?** More and more are convinced of Seto's allegedly unstable nature, yet the brunet agent holds true to his belief that Yami lives. What does a cryptic message have to do with the other agent's whereabouts? Hmm…

Well, I guess that's it! See you in the next installment of Against Protocol! If, by any chance, you feel like telling me something in private, my e-mail is welcome to take you in!

Thanks a lot and Rock On! XD


	5. Chapter 4: Panorama

**Against Protocol by Mooguri Klaine**

**Author's Notes**: SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! ((cries)) Well, you probably know the reason why… ((smiles sheepishly)) Nevertheless, I am back for…say, ten minutes, to upload this, and I'm out of here again. I just want to patch this up at once lest my conscience will haunt me in my dreams. ((sweatdrops))

Again, **THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! **'Doesn't matter if it's few or not, but the point is that I'm making some happy with my crazy ideas! XD

To **Demon**: Thanks for that e-mail! I hope you got the drawing I promised! Here's the next chapter, hot off the Document Manager! More thanks for finding this very fun! I am not worthy! TT—TT ((tears of joy))

To **Ahja Reyn**: Those garbles that I made up were all nonsense and collective common sense, but thank goodness, it turned out quite sensible. Thanks! Keep it up with the HP fanfic! I have yet to finish the drawings…gomen! TT—TT

To **Elusia**: Lol, those bickering are just priceless! Even I had a good time writing it! Last chapter's rough draft was at least two pages longer than the edited one, and it's all because of the dialogues! I decided to cut it though; it gets tiring and somewhat repetitive… And Mokuba is just PLAIN KAWAII with all his technological expertise! I just wanted to make him like that! And…YOU'RE A NARUTO FAN! ((giggles)) I'll be in touch with you about that stuff! XD And thanks for the birthday greeting!

To **Nachzes-Black Rider**: There are many instances that just plain sucks when I can't even GET IN (everything just stops when I'm on the main page, dammit)… Hehe, thanks for that bit about the iris-cam! Lol, you made me laugh with that _'Yami's NOT dead. Seto's NOT insane. If Yami WAS dead, how would we get around to sex?' _part! Dirty minds think alike!! XD

To **silver dragongurl**: Sorry for the excessive talkies! As for "action", hmmm… You won't find it in this chapter though… XD I think I wrote more than I intend to… ((sweatdrops))

To **shadowsofchaos61**: Again, thanks! I am now a professed addict of your story, Second Time Around! Keep that up! XD

To **Melrose Stormhaven**: New reviewer!! ((celebrates and gives a hug)) Thanks for trooping in this story! Of course, you'll get an artwork! One thing, though…what's your e-mail address? :D

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the universe; naturally, so does YGO. Don't sue me.

**Warning**: This is a Yu-Gi-Oh AU fic about guns, agents, and an unlikely love that spurns in the hearts of two rivals. Expect violence, shonen-ai (boy love), and sex, among other things. Back off if this is not for you.

**Rating**: R, for bad language, mature themes, and bad stereotyping made by yours truly. More to come, of course! XD

**Summary**: Five years have passed since Shinobi Agent Yami's fateful disappearance, and all believes him to be dead, save for the most unlikely person – Yami's rival and co-agent, Seto. Are his statements and alleged sightings enough to attest his belief? READ, REVIEW, AND RECEIVE A DRAWING! XD

**----------**

**Chapter Four: Panorama**

"What exactly do you want from me?" Seto demands.

"Please take a seat, Seth." A patient voice says calmly, while a hand offers him one of the easy chairs inside the room.

"No, I think I'll stand."

"Field Operative Seth," the soothing tone starts, "I believe you received the note?"

"Only the note should not be addressed to me. Apparently, there are more qualified candidates."

Ishizu scribbles something on her clipboard.

"Who sent me here?"

"I'm afraid I cannot disclose that information to you…"

Seto initially notices the almost-invisible surveillance camera perched on top of the bookshelf, as well as others planted on other unobtrusive objects. "No doubt it was that bastard Magician?" He squarely gazes into the camera; he knows he is being watched.

The woman squirms uncomfortably in her chair for a moment before sighing. "Please sit down," she repeats her previous request.

"I won't be staying for long – " Seto begins curtly.

"You are being called on for a series psychotherapy sessions, as decreed by the officials of the Shinobi – "

" – in which I wouldn't dream of attending!" The brown-haired agent cuts in hotly. "I know myself more than all of you claim to be, and I certainly do not need any shrink telling me what or what not to do!"

"Seth, I am not here to tell you're insane, nor unstable, but merely help you siphon the troubles that insist on plaguing your thoughts," the Egyptian agent slowly explains, as if choosing her words with utmost care. "You are being constantly bothered by stressful memories from long ago, hindering you from moving on with your life…"

But Seto would not allow himself to listen anymore. "This is one big nonsense, Ishizu." He moves toward the young lady. "I'll make this clear: I am perfectly sane. I did not make up any bullshit; Yami is alive." He stares boldly at the female supervisor briefly before winding his way back to the door.

"Shinobi Agent Seth," the calm voice suddenly turns oddly dangerous, almost threatening. "If you take one step out of this room, we will be forced to take you to a disciplinary tribunal, and therefore hold you under strict custody, and strip you off of your duties and privileges as a field agent!"

Seto stops, his right hand already resting on the door handle, and his back facing Ishizu.

"I already told you that this is a direct order from Shinobi's officials. Violating such will only entail unreasonable compromises." Ishizu exhales a subdued sigh, the firm tone in her voice disappearing as it came.

"Now, Seth, please sit down…" Ishizu momentarily catches a glimpse of the tall agent's eyes – now uncannily steelier than its previous state, the cold stare almost unbearable to ignore.

"I didn't anticipate that you would be so desperate to hamper me down, even subjecting me to blackmail," Seto coolly mutters.

"This is protocol, Seth, and not blackmail," she replies. "I am merely following standard procedure."

"Protocol, huh?" Seto smugly says as he approaches a chair and sits on it grudgingly.

----------

_Yami pushed the door open, allowing himself access inside a familiar room at one of the highest and most secured floors of the Agency's HQ. Many people were already seated on black leather chairs, placed in a spacious semi-circle. To his right was a large projector screen with Mokuba beside it, now busy twiddling with the computer._

_"You're late," came a cold voice. Yami turned just in time to meet another agent's eyes, in which he was too happy to glare back. Fiery ones met icy pools._

_"You're just in time, Yami." Mahado smiled briefly at the young agent, gesturing a hand to a vacant chair where he could sit down. "We are just about to begin."_

_Seto scowled openly at the open display of favoritism from the brunet supervisor. However, it was quickly displaced by a frown; there was an empty seat beside him._

_Yami could feel, as he slowly and laboriously made his way to his chair, Seto's eyes reflecting nothing but disdain, boring imaginary holes at him as if wishing they were true. He was able to get there in one piece without apparent incident. Yami sat down and slid his right hand to a gray folder perched in front of him, on the pretense of scanning the mission details. He leaned casually in Seto's direction, and spoke in a low voice, "Yes, Seth, in case you're wondering, I don't want to sit beside you."_

_"That makes two of us," retorted Seto under his breath._

_A brief tap of pen on wood prevented both men from releasing another bout of insults at each other. Mahado stood closely behind the projector screen, regarded everyone in the Briefing Room with a short nod, cleared his throat, and finally began._

_"Good morning," he started. "First of all, I would like to congratulate our three agents for safely returning after their previous retrieval mission, and also bringing along with them a very valuable weapon that can disrupt and delay enemy operations."_

_Considerable looks of respect went to Karimu, Yami, and Seto._

_Mahado signaled to Mokuba, in which the latter gave a thumbs-up and sprung the projector to life, showing everyone various images._

_"We acquired the parts of a top-secret assassination weapon, The Silencer. It is a well-equipped gun, with quite ingenious design and function that could rival the military's._

_"It is believed that the gun was made for a prominent crime family, and judging from the gun's function, it was meant to kill someone as quietly and stealthily as possible, probably someone high up in the government. It –"_

_"Has the gun been assembled now?" Sugoroku's hand rose up slightly to throw a question._

_It was Mokuba who answered the query. "We're afraid not, sir. Tech Department's still having a crack at the weapon, but they don't seem to be getting nearer to completing the gun."_

_"I thought there was a plan that we managed to take hold of in one of the previous missions…" Shada spoke, slightly puzzled._

_"The plan we had turned out to be one really rough prototype. Apparently, the design had undergone several revisions. The original was hardly present in the final product," Mokuba said in a disappointing voice._

_"So what happens now?" Karimu asked bluntly, unable to keep his frustration._

_"For the meantime, we shall leave the matter be, until Tech Department comes up with a solution. Right now, we have more pressing matters," Mahado said in an urgent voice._

_Mokuba now showed a different set of images. Yami stared back at a photograph of a middle-aged man barely out of thirties. Long threads of silver hair hung lazily on the shoulders, and a well-placed smirk marked the young face._

_Mahado took the initiative of introducing the man on screen. "Pegasus J. Crawford, thirty-two, CEO of I Square Incorporated, and is rumored to have various ties among crime families and city gangsters."_

_Flashes of high-rise buildings and structures passed by the audience's eyes. Mokuba promptly provided the commentary. "He has quite a number of business ventures in and out of the country, but there's a certain place that stood out the most, not just of its, uhm, nature, but of the underground business that goes inside it."_

_Seto raised an eyebrow at a certain picture now being currently projected._

_"The Fluffy Rabbit, (1)" the raven-haired boy read out its name. "Pretty famous, as I've observed."_

_"It's a gay bar…" Karimu said weakly._

_At this point, Mokuba fidgeted uncomfortably, his words now sounded muffled and hurried. "Well, there are some certain…uh…things that happen inside it, of course…"_

_Both Seto's eyebrows now rose up to high heaven. Even Yami looked incredulous. Karimu simply gaped, his mouth hanging open like a goldfish. Other agents and supervisors seemed to act indifferent, but there was discomfort and somewhat-disgust that hung over in the air._

_"However, that was just their cover, would you believe it? The bar is pretty known to homosexual couples as a center for child-bearing –"_

_"Child-bearing?" Karimu interrupted, hardly believing what he had just heard._

_"By that, I meant artificial means of having an offspring," Mokuba explained. "Homos cannot produce their own, after all."_

_"I thought artificial insemination, cloning, and other genetic manipulation were banned and outlawed by the government…" Seto said, his brow furrowed in concentration._

_"Yes it is; that's why it was kept hidden." Mokuba proceeded with the slide show. "On that account alone, we could have that bar shut down and Pegasus arrested. But there's more."_

_"There's more?" Yami, after seeing enough, was still taken by surprise._

_"Recent Intel gave us info about a certain satellite weapon hidden inside an underground facility beneath the bar," Mahado began._

_"I assume you know microwave ovens?" Mokuba asked, smiling sheepishly at everyone. Seeing that none stirred, save for Karimu, who was wondering why Mokuba would ask about microwave ovens at a time like this. Nevertheless, he proceeded. "Well, of course you do._

_"Now, m-ovens operate on radio waves to cook your food, say… last night's spaghetti. Imagine if this kind of radio wave is tripled or quadrupled in concentration, launched to space, allowing it to patrol the earth's orbit freely without variable detection…"_

_"Sitting ducks," Yami breathed dreadfully._

_"I'm sorry?" Mokuba looked perplexed._

_"The satellite was for remote-controlled assassinations," the Egyptian youth said. "Radio waves that strong are enough to kill a full-grown human being, and make it look like he died of natural causes."_

_Mahado grimly nodded. "That's why it has to be stopped at all costs. Your mission is to override the control and corrupt the contraption."_

_"Okay, we're going." Karimu started to stand up, but was stopped when Mokuba once again spoke up._

_"The facility is located fairly underground, and the security is right next to impossible. You have to acquire the access codes from Pegasus himself, get past more than three dozens of security guards…_

_"Plus, they just don't admit anyone inside the bar – especially straights – unless you're in an impressive drag outfit –"_

_Yami, Seto, and Karimu rose up suddenly, but it was Karimu who expressed his dissent first. "Are you saying we have to go in dresses?!" he asked, knowing very well what the answer will be._

_"There's no fucking way I'm going to wear a fluffy skirt." Seto's steely tone was not hard to miss._

_"Well…someone has to wear a skirt though, and pose as a performer for the night for distraction –" Mokuba slowly began, but was cut off shortly._

_"And what of the other two?" Yami asked._

_"They'll be acting as a couple wanting to avail the artificial insemination program—"_

_Karimu raised an eager hand. "I'll pick the skirt any day, man."_

_"That means—"_

_"WHAT?!" Two voices shouted in unison._

----------

_The agents are now back on field, currently on separate cars – Karimu in a limousine, and both Seto and Yami aboard a sports car._

_"You know the drill: Distract Pegasus first, knick the access codes from him." Mokuba was happily giving out the orders from the Operations Booth._

_"That'll be me," came Karimu's hollow voice, as he gazed forlornly at his painted fingernails, his toenails faring the same, all in shocking pink._

_Mokuba chuckled. "Now, what's with the sad face, Karimu? We had to send a professional make-up artist to look your best!"_

_"So I could seduce Pegasus?! That's barking mad!" Then he heard a chorus of laughter at the other end of the line. "What the hell is that?!" he demanded._

_"Good luck with the mission!" a high-pitched voice jovially said. "The whole Agency wishes you the best of everything!"_

_"What's Mana doing inside the Ops Booth? And what do you mean, 'the whole Agency'?"_

_"Everyone found it fun to watch you guys duke out tonight's mission, that's what!"_

_Karimu complained. "Hey, this was supposed to be top-secret –"_

_"—naturally the whole Agency knows," Mokuba replied, as he rolled his eyes. "Besides, if it weren't for you howling about dressing you up, they wouldn't even be interested._

_"Besides, you don't need to worry 'bout bringing Pegasus to bed. Intel says he prefers younger men."_

_"Hey! What's that supposed to mean, you long-haired twerp?!" Several laughs flooded inside the Operations Booth._

_"Anyway, after Karimu acquires them, he proceeds to plant a bug on one of the club's wirings to disable the security system. He then gives the key codes to one of you, Seth and Yami." Mokuba could sense a silent flurry stirring among the agents inside the small room. It would appear that seeing Karimu in a dress was hardly their reason for going. Even he was silently anticipating how his big brother and Yami could pull off such disguise. _

_"Okay, you two would be approaching Pegasus with the hopes of having a child." The young boy played with a dangling lock of hair hanging from his forehead. He was finding it odd to say this to both of the rival agents._

_"This is bullshit," Seto said, unable to hide the annoyance in his tone. He personally thought that fathering a child is not a good idea, but it was a totally different matter wanting one when it was physically and biologically impossible…especially if they both happen to be men and fierce enemies. Both were already hell-bent on destroying each other, and the last thing they needed was to go incognito at some strange man's gay bar and act as if they loved each other to bits._

_"Well, there's not much of a choice, big brother," Mokuba said apologetically, as he typed on the keyboard in front of him. "Back to the plan._

_"Eventually you'll convince the guy to help and in turn, admit you in his private facility, and from there you can give me a ring, so I could give you a visual scope on the lay-out of the place._

_"Upon reaching the satellite controls, you must first download the program with the use of the cell phone that I've given to Seth; that will give me access to its inner control frames. I've entrusted Yami the fake codes to use to override the system."_

_"All in all, everything will go smoothly. Hopefully." _

_"Easier said than done," Yami commented, as he glumly focused his eyes to the view outside the car window._

----------

"I will ask you to be completely honest and frank when answering my questions," Ishizu begins. She looks at Seto expectantly, waiting for an outburst, but found none.

"How are you feeling?" she asks.

"Fine."

Ishizu smiles sadly. "You are not fine, Seth. First you must accept that you are not well, and only from admitting it fully, you can get better."

"Then why ask me a question when you already know the answer?" Seto snaps. He sees the woman giving him a probing look, as if trying to read his thoughts; those calm prussian-blue eyes are a bit unsettling.

"Tell me, Seth, what do you think of your fellow agents at the moment?"

"Nothing."

"Seth, lately you've been opting to do field missions alone, rather than the standard three-man group you used to – "

"I could do the job on my own, far better than anyone else. They'll just slow me down."

Ishizu consults her clipboard. "You've accomplished a lot of Rank-A Missions," she says, not taking her eyes off the data given to her. "Quite commendable, I must say."

Seto looks away, preferring to look at the sun outside the window; it's almost sunset. Ishizu follows the man's gaze, observing the wonderful play of colors painting the horizon – as layers of deepening blue melded with the fierce red, in turn, slowly dissolving to lush orange.

"It seems you have a particular liking towards sunsets," she says. Seto drops his eyes to fix a stare at the woman. Ishizu, meanwhile, continues her perusal of the heavens. "People feel comfortable when they look at something they like, and would take their time doing so, for as long as it lasts.

"A child who likes toys, would very much prefer to spend his day playing with them, yes?" She turns her head to the brunet operative.

Seto shrugs in reply, and adds, "I don't know."

"Of course, you know this, Seth," she says knowingly as she stands up from her chair. "Why don't we stop and look at this marvelous view?" She opens the balcony doors and gestures a hand to the young man.

A thought plays at the back of Seto's mind. "I don't know what the hell you're playing at, Ishizu," he begins. "If this is some sort of trap you and the officials are perpetrating –"

"The sunset reminds you so much of him, am I correct?"

Seto stops abruptly in mid-speech, the words of threat in his lips abandoning him.

"The colors of the sky resemble his hair." Ishizu lifts her hand, and traces the heavens with her fingers. She halts, and settles her eyes once more on him. "Five years has come and gone, and yet the memory of a far-off day still lingers in you.

"Is this why you would never let go? Why you would pursue relentlessly for a man long dead? Why you perceive him in things that others could not see?

"Why you continue, refusing to believe his passing, to search for him?" She waits for a moment before plunging on.

"The way you cried his name in that explosion, even blatantly defying your superior's orders, just to go back in the hopes of rescuing him…

"Seth, Yami is more than a fellow agent to you, is he not?"

Silence stirs, followed by slow footsteps towards her. Seto stops in front of Ishizu, not saying anything.

Then, without warning, his right hand slaps through her cheek.

----------

_"What are they doing here?" Mahado cried in surprise as he entered the Operations Booth, finding more than a dozen agents crammed inside._

_"Magician, have a soda!" An aluminum can flew through the air towards him. He seized it deftly and stared at another agent, codenamed Celtic Guardian. More agents took notice of his presence, and instantly cleared a way for him, offering him chips, cookies, as he went._

_"Mokuba, what is the meaning of this?" he demanded, dropping the food on a nearby table. "Other agents are not allowed access inside the Operations Booth!"_

_"Oh don't be such a party pooper, Magician," Mana grinned at him, waving a vague hand to the other spectators. "We just want to see the mission for ourselves!" A general nod and 'aye' of assent came as a reply._

_Mahado glared at Mokuba, the latter instantly taking defense. "Hey, I couldn't stop them from coming! I can't actually bar the doors and not let anyone in! Besides, blame Karimu for it; he practically let the whole Agency know about the mission._

_"Besides, even other superiors are here to watch the show." Mahado looked around and saw Ishizu smiling sheepishly at him with a silent and somewhat-expectant Shada._

_"See?" Mokuba grinned happily. Then the communicator sprung to life, bringing him back to the field agents. The collective voices dropped suddenly; each one focused their eyes on the monitors unblinkingly._

_"We're coming in," came Yami's voice._

----------

_Seto stepped out of the car, actually grateful that he was able to stand after driving for what seemed like a long time. He watched as Yami boarded out as well, seeing the shorter man inhaling a bit of the night air, his face relieved. Surprisingly, the car ride, though long and laborious, ended in peace, as both operatives chose silence over plotting the demise of each other. _

_Yami was happy that they did not bicker for the whole duration of the trip. Probably Seto was busy driving, or concentrating on the mission at hand, just like he was. Exactly how are they going to act like long-time couples? There wasn't even time for practice and internalization, for as soon as the briefing was finished, they were dispatched almost at once, despite their refusal to partake in the mission._

_"We're coming in," he said, alerting Mokuba in the Ops Booth. _

_"Got it," came the boy's reply. "Karimu's already inside; he arrived a lot earlier than you two."_

_Fine leather shoes crunched against the pavement, as both Yami and Seto made their way to the bustling entrance, where a long line is queued up, waiting for admittance. A neon-pink sign glowed overhead; cursive letters 'The Fluffy Rabbit' sprawled across, instantly bringing dread to their guts. The name sounded so… childish, albeit kinky and naughty. _

_"They're actually flocking the place," Mokuba observed as he watched the scenes from the monitor. "But no need for lines; you have a special VIP Pass!"_

_Seto dug into the breast pocket of his blue polo shirt and pulled out an impressive-looking card emblazoned with the club's logo, along with big, bold letters VIP in pink. "Get a move on, shrimp, or I'll leave you behind," he snapped._

_"Err…big brother?" Mokuba's voice started, uncertain._

_"What?"_

_"Uhm, I think you should drop the name-calling. You're…uh…lovers, remember?"_

_"WE ARE NOT!" two voices replied defiantly._

_"Of course you're not, but you're pretending to be one." It was Mahado who cut in this time. "So don't even think of screwing up, or I'll have your heads for this."_

_Everyone in the Operations Booth clapped and hooted with glee, voices filled with awe._

_"So act like you mean it." He cleared his throat. _

_"Hold each other's hand," he mumbled._

_"Pardon?" Seto asked, apparently taken by surprise at what seem to be an order. Yami couldn't believe his ears either._

_"Magician said you two should hold hands," Mokuba answered, also bewildered at the unusual order._

_One withering look from Yami told Seto just as much. "No thanks; I think I'll pass."_

_"Don't make me repeat myself! Hold each other's hands!" barked the superior. "I don't have time to instruct you like dogs! Keep your act together as couples!"_

_There was a pregnant pause. Until, slowly, forcefully, excruciatingly, both agents sought each other's hands and held onto it most grudgingly. Yami flinched at the cold tips that brushed against his, wincing slightly at the firm grasp._

_"Do you mind loosening the grip? You're preventing blood from coming to my hands," Yami said. Seto was too happy to oblige; he relaxed his hold on the smaller hand, but he never let go of it._

_"Thanks," Yami muttered._

_The motley group inside the Ops Booth clapped appreciatively as they passed around popcorns and drinks amongst themselves, waiting for the next development._

----------

He should've checked this last night. Standard Operating Procedure – check the comings and goings around the world – once every day. But what the heck.

In the Operations Booth, Mokuba leans back into the comfortable chair he always sits on, while directly accessing the internal server linked to the Panorama (2), the Agency's primary surveillance satellite. He hums to himself, reaching out his free hand to the small fridge beside him for a soda and a snack. The computer whirrs steadily as the server downloads thousands of bytes recorded earlier in the day by the satellite.

"Hmm, what do we have for today?" He opens the aluminum tab of the soda can.

A few minutes' silence ensues, punctuated by occasional bleeps and clicks from the various machineries around the small room.

"Downloading image from Site 171…(3)" Mokuba sips his drink, his eyes straying on to the loading image in front of him.

Then suddenly, he spits the cold liquid, and stands up instantly, not caring if he spilled the rest of his soft drink on the carpet. He sprints out of the Ops Booth.

"BIG BROTHER!"

----------

Ishizu holds onto her left cheek, feeling the stinging pain that silently throbbed. Seto looks at her with frigid eyes, almost lacking emotion.

"Don't act as if you know all about me; you don't even know half of it.

"You justify my actions, make certain of my behavior, yet you're unsure of it yourself. Is this what your line of study taught you?

"I am not some easy-to-read fool that manifests sickness found in your little book. I don't –"

"BIG BROTHER!" The door bangs open, revealing a panicky Mokuba, sweat shining in his face, looking as if he had ran a marathon. Without waiting for anything, he sprints across the room and tugs the older man.

"What is it, Mokuba?" asks the blue-eyed agent.

"Come quick, big brother! Panorama picked up a curious signal from Site 171 yesterday!" Mokuba's words flow unrestricted, fast and hasty, as if he's running out of time. "At first I thought it was just a glitch on the system, or there was some crazy error, or some virus –"

"Mokuba, calm down," Seto says as he stands near to comfort the panic-stricken child. "Tell me what was it that you saw."

At this point, Mokuba hardly looked nineteen; his youthful eyes, blink back traitorous tears, making him look like a confused child from ten years ago. His breathing is heavy, almost troubled and burdened with effort.

"Mokuba, breathe evenly; you're going to have an asthma attack." Seto reaches for a handkerchief and dries the perspiration off the younger one's face, while the other hand soothes the shaking back. Mokuba struggles to claim air in the still room; his asthma attack seems to be getting steadily stronger by the minute.

He summons what's left of his strength. Lips trembling, he burst fearfully. "I saw Yami, big brother."

Ishizu gasps.

**----To Be Continued---- **

**Author's Notes: (1) **Hmm… I couldn't think of a nice name for Pegsy's gay bar… 'The Fluffy Rabbit' struck me when I looked through his deck, and instantly remembered his Toon Rabbit jumping in Duke Devlin's (Otogi Ryuji) computer XD To Pegasus fans out there, sorry if I have to make him into some gay guy… :D I love this character to bits… hehe, sorry Nachzes! ((bows down while Nachzes destroys random stuff))

**(2) **Panorama's existence is purely fictional. Though I saw the same name in one of the Chinese flicks that I watched some time ago, called 'So Close', spearheaded by famous Chinese actresses, Zhao Wei, Karen Mok and uh… someone else… XD Anyway, the name implies its very function; it gave Shinobi viable access and visibility even from miles away, and can see through underground, X-ray, ultraviolet, infra-red, and virtually all modes of visions. A great find if you're a peeping tom, or a stalker. Hmmm…

**(3)** I'm not sure about this, but I think places marked on a satellite are labeled as 'sites'. I made this one up too; I don't know anything about surveillance jargon and other word speak. So kick me XP Anyway, Site 171 corresponds to the cemetery where they "buried" Yami, as well as the place where Mokuba sees the agent alive through the eyes of Panorama.

**SO HOW WAS IT?! **I'm absolutely sorry it took me one hell of a long time to update. I wrote more than I intended to (again). The mission was supposed to be all compressed in one chapter, but I thought better of it, because it was TOO LONG if I leave it at that, and you might not like it. Tell me what you think of it too! **Review, review, review!!** XD

**What's in Chapter Five?** The mission at the Fluffy Rabbit escalates to greater heights, bringing about a pivotal turn to the hostile relationship between the two agents. Meanwhile, now that hard evidence is brought to light through Panorama, more questions rise about the whereabouts of the missing operative. Where was he all those time? And…uh, I'll stop now. XD

**STICK WITH ME, EVERYONE! THANKS FOR MAKING THIS FIC HAPPEN! **

Thanks a lot and Rock On! XD


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